72 summer 2019
By now, slathering on sunscreen before stepping
out the door should be a year-round habit, but your
epidermis is not the only thing being affected by
el sol. Other parts of your body can be negatively
affected by the sun, sounds and soaring heat of
the summer months. Here’s how to protect five
of them from harm. | BY KAREN ASP
1 | KIDNEYS
(^) SUMMER HAZARD: HEAT
When it’s hot, you’re
at a greater risk for
dehydration, which over
time could lead to kidney
stones. “Kidney stones form
because of an imbalance of
salt and water within the
kidneys,” says Jonathan
Harper, M.D., associate
professor of urology at the
University of Washington
in Seattle, adding that a
salty diet and inactivity also
can be contributing factors.
While kidney stones are
most common in adults
30 to 50 years old, you’re
at risk even if you’re in
your 20s, and high-protein
diets such as Atkins, Paleo
and keto can cause other
urinary issues that may
increase kidney-stone risk,
Harper says.
SAFETY CHECK
Stay active, eat a lower-
salt diet and stay well-
hydrated, consuming
anywhere from 80 to
100 ounces of water
daily. Adding electrolytes
to your water can help
replenish water loss from
sweating and help promote
hydration, and eating a
diet with a healthy balance
of macronutrients with
plenty of fresh produce can
help deflect kidney stones.
2 | EARS
SUMMER HAZARD:
LOUD NOISES
Ah, the sounds of summer —
fireworks, outdoor concerts,
lawn mowers. Though you
might associate these noises
with happy, lazy days, if
you’re not careful, they also
could mean noise-induced
hearing loss. Hearing loss
generally occurs over time
when noise is about 85
decibels, according to the
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. However,
some hearing loss can be
immediate at certain levels.
“Hair cells [in the ears]
can die, which will affect
your hearing,” says Oliver
Adunka, M.D., director of
otology, neurology and
cranial base surgery at
The Ohio State University
Wexner Medical Center in
Columbus, Ohio.
SAFETY CHECK
Because noise-induced
hearing loss is cumulative
and irreversible, your best
bet is to avoid loud noises, or
at least damper their effects.
When doing yard work,
watching fireworks or going
to concerts, wear ear plugs.
As for your headphones, if
you can’t hear other people
talking or if people have to
shout to be heard from only
3 feet away, your music is
too loud, according to the
Center for Hearing and
Communication.
SUMMER
PROOF your
YOUR SKIN ISN’T THE ONLY THING THAT NEEDS SOME